New Airframe Material Lighter, Stronger Than Carbon Fiber

[barnstorm2]

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/NewMaterialLighterStrongerThanCarbonFiber_196373-1.html

Next to advances in engine technology, new materials to make the rest of the aircraft are critical to improving performance and durability of aircraft and Dutch scientists say they’ve hit on a winner.

The researchers at the Delft University of Technology said in a recent news release that their CentrAl reinforced aluminum, which is a sandwich of aluminum and composite materials, is not only stronger than carbon-fiber composites, it’s 20 percent lighter and virtually impervious to fatigue.

The news release says use of the material could save $100 billion in maintenance and fuel costs in the world-wide aviation industry. The material was developed by the university with help from the Dutch company GTM Advanced Structures and aluminum giant Alcoa.

It was unveiled at a conference on the damage tolerance of aircraft structures in Delft last week. The researchers say its main use will be in aircraft wings where weight, strength and fatigue issues are paramount.

[GyroDoug]

Tim,

It looks like way cool material (and probably expensive material, at that) but I'm not sure that I have the vision to see where I could use it on my Gyro of today. Any thoughts?

Gyro Doug

[barnstorm2]

Without more info that is hard to say.

I would wonder if rotorblades might be a use as well as composite airframe bodys and enclosures perhaps tall-tails.

[EI-GYRO]

Stabs ? Rats, it says my message was too short, so I've added this meaningless garbage to lengthen it out and keep the computer happy.
Aint life wonderful.

[GyroDoug]

Without more info that is hard to say.

I would wonder if rotorblades might be a use as well as composite airframe bodys and enclosures perhaps tall-tails.

Tim,

I'm certainly no expert here so this is just thoughts from me, but it seems like a lot of overkill for a small pod or even a full enclosure on a 1 or 2 place machine. It doesn't seem to me that they would require the kind of strength this new product can offer. I don't know much about the structural needs of tails or rotor blades but with the stresses that I would think rotor blades develop that might be a great product for them if someone could figure out how to make it work. I hope someone (with much more knowledge and understanding than me) will look into it and figure out if it could offer us any advantages over the blades we have now.

Thanks for keeping us apprised of developments like this,

Gyro Doug

[barnstorm2]

Thanks Doug,

I don't know much about blade making but it seems like an application.

Now I know it is going to be mighty expensive but the price of carbon fiber has gone up recently so you never know.

I plan on getting a carbon fiber prop for my new 2 place and am shopping for a tall tail with an HStab through it. Alot of tall tail / HStab combos get cracks at the joining of the 2 pieces over time. Perhaps this would cure that.

I am NOT someone with the skill or patience to make my own carbon fiber stuff but I would think this could be used in some of the same applications.

Lighter is better? If we could have lighter smaller airframe bits then that is an improvement. If the cost is not through the roof maybe we could see some tech with this material?

Perhaps as EI-Gyro pointed out we might see this first in HStabs.

.